WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/ACC/AFG/9/Rev.1 
6 June 2012 
 (12-2970) 
Working Party on the Accession of 
the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF AFGHANISTAN  
 
Legislative Action Plan 
 
Revision 
 
 The following submission, dated 4 June 2012, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.  
 
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  WT/ACC/AFG/9/Rev.1 
Page 2  
Legislation WTO 
Agreement Main Responsibility Current Status Location in 
Documentation Date of Projected 
Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission to 
Parliament Enactment1 
Law on Plant 
Protection and Quarantine (new Law) SPS Ministry of Agriculture, 
Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL)- 
Plant Quarantine 
Directorate Draft finalized at 
MAIL WT/ACC/AFG/12 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Law on Animal Health 
and Veterinary 
(new Law) SPS MAIL- 
General Directorate of 
Animal Health Draft finalized at 
MAIL To be submitted to the 
WTO in June 2012 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Law on Food Safety (new Law) SPS MPH and MAIL-
General Directorate of 
Animal Health Draft finalized and 
is presently at the 
Ministry of Justice  WT/ACC/AFG/12 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Law on Standards and 
Technical Regulations (new Law) TBT Afghan National 
Standardization Agency (ANSA) This is draft for 
new law to replace Afghan National 
Standards Law. 
Draft has been finalized at ANSA WT/ACC/AFG/14 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Amendments to the 
2005 Customs Law CVA 
ROO Afghan Customs 
Department (ACD) Draft is currently at 
the Ministry of 
Justice  WT/ACC/AFG/14 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Regulations on CVA Interpretative Notes CVA ACD Drafting has been 
initiated  To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of 2012 First half of 
2013 N/A As soon as 
Amendments to 
Customs Law are 
adopted 
Regulations on 
Advance Origin 
Rulings ROO ACD Drafting has been 
initiated  To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of 2012 First half of 
2013 N/A As soon as 
Amendments to 
Customs Law are 
adopted 
Regulations on 
Intellectual Property 
Border Enforcement  TRIPS ACD Drafting has been 
initiated To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of 2012 First half of 
2013 N/A Second half of 
2013 
                                                      
1 Although this is the target, adoption by the Parliament depends  on its agenda and priorities wh ich are beyond the control of t he Government.  
   WT/ACC/AFG/9/Rev.1
 Page 3Legislation WTO 
Agreement Main Responsibility Current Status Location in 
Documentation Date of Projected 
Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission to 
Parliament Enactment1 
Amendments to the 
Law on Supporting the Rights of Inventors and 
Discoverers of 
31 April 2009 (Patents Law) TRIPS Ministry of Commerce 
and Industries (MoCI) Draft finalized at 
MoCI WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Amendments to the 
Law on Trade Marks 
Registration of 1 September 2009 TRIPS MoCI Draft finalized at 
MoCI WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Amendments to the 
Law on Supporting the 
Right of Authors, Composers, Artists, 
and Researchers of 
26 July 2008 
(Copyrights Law) TRIPS Ministry of Information 
and Culture (MoIC) Draft finalized at 
MoIC WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Law on Geographical Indications (new) TRIPS MoCI Draft finalized at 
MoCI 
 WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Law on Industrial 
Designs (new) TRIPS MoCI Draft finalized at 
MoCI 
 WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Draft amendments to the Civil Procedure 
Code (Chapter Three) 
of 22 August 1990 TRIPS MoCI Draft finalized at 
MoCI 
 WT/ACC/AFG/7/Add.1 Second half of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Law on Trade Secrets 
(undisclosed 
information) (new) TRIPS MoCI Drafting has been 
initiated To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of 2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013 2014 
Law on Topography of 
Integrated Circuits (new) TRIPS MoCI Drafting has been 
initiated To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end of 2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013 2014 
Law on Unfair 
Competition  (new) TRIPS MoCI Drafting has been 
initiated To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of 2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013 2014  
  WT/ACC/AFG/9/Rev.1 
Page 4 Legislation WTO 
Agreement Main Responsibility Current Status Location in 
Documentation Date of Projected 
Submission to 
Cabinet of 
Ministers Submission to 
Parliament Enactment1 
Law on Optical Disks 
(new)  TRIPS MoIC Drafting has not 
begun  To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end of March 2013 Second half of 
2013 First half of 
2014 Second half of 
2014/First quarter 
of 2015 
Law on Plant Variety 
Protection (new) TRIPS MAIL Drafting has been 
initiated To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of March 2013 Second half of 
2013 First half of 
2014 Second half of 
2014/First quarter 
of 2015 
Amendments to the Law on Publication 
and Enforcement of 
Legislation of 1998 General - 
Transparency MoCI/Ministry of 
Justice Drafting finalized 
at MoCI To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of September 2012 By end of 
2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013/First quarter 
of 2014 
Amendments to the 
Regulation on 
Legislative Drafting 
Procedure of 1998  General - 
Transparency MoCI/Ministry of 
Justice Drafting finalized 
at MoCI To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of September 2012 By end of 
2012 N/A First half of 2013 
Law on Foreign Trade 
in Goods (new) GATT and 
Import 
Licensing 
Procedures MoCI Drafting has been 
initiated To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of 2012 First half of 
2013 Second half of 
2013 2014 
Law on Safeguards 
(new) Agreement on 
Safeguards MoCI Drafting has not 
begun  To be submitted to the 
WTO no later than end 
of March 2013 Second half of 
2013 First half of 
2014 Second half of 
2014/First quarter 
of 2015 
 
 
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